Preston Hub’s World Cup Predictions!

The world’s greatest show is back this summer, with more than 1.5billion people expected to watch the 2018 World Cup.

Russia plays hosts to 32 teams from across the globe in football’s premier competition, which means it’s time for the Preston Hub World Cup predictions!

Winner:

In all honesty, there are two real standout contenders here; 2014 World Cup winners Germany and five-time champions Brazil. We would have added Spain to that list, but with Julen Lopetegui’s departure just days before the tournament is set to begin it seems ‘La Roja’ will have enough to deal with off the pitch.

At this point, it is a straight 50/50 shot at picking a winner and we’re going with Brazil as their potential path to the final seems a little easier than their European rival’s.

Dark Horse

Inevitably there is always one team that stands out as the side that has gone above and beyond expectations, we expect this year to be no different. Argentina made it to the World Cup final four years ago, so they may seem like a strange choice for ‘Dark Horse’. However, they are ranked by most bookies as being the 5th or 6th favourite team to make the final behind France and Spain. This could finally be Messi’s year, and with the attacking talents of Higuain, Di Maria and of course Barcelona’s record goal-scorer they must be in with a shout!

England . . . (sigh)

England’s recent performances in International football tournaments have been . . well . . awful. A pasting from Germany in 2010, limping out against Italy in 2012, not making it out of the group in 2014 and then being put in their place by Iceland two years ago have all left us without much hope for the Three-Lions.

The group this time around shouldn’t be a problem for England, with wins against Tunisia and Panama expected at the very least. Depending on who England draw in the KO stages we would expect the likeliest journey would see a last-16 win against Poland, before losing to Germany in the quarter-finals.